The next generation of respiratory clinicians and researchers had the opportunity to jump start their ATS 2022 International Conference experience with a variety of programming tailored for early-career professionals.

The Fellows Track Symposium, Resident Boot Camp, Student Scholars Program, and New Faculty Boot Camp welcomed close to 400 combined participants on Friday and Saturday, May 13-14.

“This is a very good way to get the nuts and bolts of the topics that are important for the fellows,” said Vesna Buntak, MD, one of the 195 young professionals taking part in the Fellows Track Symposium. But that’s not all.

“You gain how to think and how to ask questions to get answers you actually need — the importance of why,” she added.

Dr. Buntak enjoyed meeting other fellows who she might work with one day and learning from faculty who may be able to provide guidance as her career advances.

Another 160 young professionals took part in the Resident Boot Camp. Through breakout sessions and hands-on workshops, this program sets the stage for success for fellows entering an adult or pediatric pulmonary or critical care fellowship.

Anusha Mopuri, MBBS, MD, said she applied for the boot camp to get more exposure to procedures and to feel more confident when she begins her fellowship at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland.

“Everything has been amazing,” she said, listing access to experts and morning lectures on a variety of complex cases among the benefits of participation. Dr. Mopuri seized the opportunity to expand her knowledge of physiology and sleep medicine in particular.

“I like that we have lectures, small group discussions, and hands-on workshops,” said Damini Saxena, who has been accepted into a fellowship program at Baylor College.

She said the comprehensive boot camp provided a good balance of evidence-based learning.

“This is a great preview to what we’ll be doing,” said Chih-Huan “Jack” Lu, who is preparing for a fellowship at the University of California, Davis.

Quincy Brown, MD, said all of the material was well-taught and that the networking opportunities the boot camp presented had been valuable. The hands-on demonstrations also helped him feel more comfortable with various procedures.

“There are a lot of pearls for future pulmonary fellows,” he said.

Emma Myers said COVID-19 had eliminated exposure to some disease processes for her and her peers. The boot camp provided an avenue for them to fill in some of the gaps created by the pandemic.

Forty-four ATS members in training — clinical fellows, post-doctoral and research fellows, and early-career faculty — took part in the New Faculty Boot Camp, organized by the Members in Transition and Training Committee to address the unique challenges experienced during the transition from training to faculty.

Through a mix of didactic presentations and small group discussions, participants addressed topics as diverse as prioritizing self-care and innovative teaching on rounds.

“The goal is to try to get together a skilled and experienced group of faculty to provide information on a broad range of topics they might encounter,” said Andrew Admon, MD, MPH, MSc, University of Michigan, one of the chairs of the New Faculty Boot Camp. “Some topics are best discussed in the context of individual experience. It’s good to have a mix.”

This is the third year the New Faculty Boot Camp has been offered and the second time it has taken place in person.

“There’s something that cannot be replaced with person-to-person interaction,” said co-chair Lindsay McDonald, PhD, Ralph Johnson VAMC.

Notably, the program connects clinician scientists, non-clinician scientists, and academics to learn from one another, all for the benefit of progress for patient care, she said.

This year’s class of Student Scholars included 86 medical students, graduate students, respiratory therapy, and nursing students. The curriculum included cutting-edge science, professional education, and career development. On Sunday, May 15, the Student Scholars went on a guided tour of the Public Advisory Roundtable Path in the Exhibit Hall.

Twenty Postgraduate Courses also offered a full slate of hands-on learning covering an array of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine topics.

Young respiratory health professionals can stay engaged with a dedicated ATS Early Career Twitter feed: @atsearlycareer.